Originally Posted on The Coaching Tools Company as What is Coaching Supervision? A Space for Coaches to Reflect, Learn and Grow | by Jennifer Britton
Have you been hearing more about coaching supervision this year? Well, for team coaches, coaching supervision is a requirement for the new International Coaching Federation (ICF) Advanced Credential in Team Coaching (ACTC).
What is Coaching Supervision?
The ICF defines coaching supervision as1:
a collaborative learning practice to continually build the capacity of the coach through reflective dialogue for the benefit of both coaches and clients… Coaching Supervision creates a safe environment for the coach to share their successes and failures in becoming masterful in the way they work with their clients.
Distinct from mentor coaching, coaching supervision is an extremely valuable way to provide a space for pause, reflection and sound-boarding. And during this process, coaches explore their work. Specifically supervision would explore “cases of a coach’s work,” in other words real-time client issues—from multiple levels.
In her 2008 book Group Supervision, Brigid Proctor defined 3 different reasons for coaching supervision:
- Normative – Our ethics and professional orientation and capacity
- Formative – The development of the “competence to practice”
- Restorative – The well-being of the coach
Supervision is like coaching in that it is grounded in partnership, and the coach and supervisor co-design how they want to work together.
Types of Coaching Supervision
Just as in coaching, there are many variations on coaching supervision. And as a coaching supervisor myself, I am always intrigued by how people want to use our time together.
Sometimes it’s a space for creative play (using visual cards, my Conversation Sparker Charms™ and drawing) to evoke new awareness around what’s possible for my coach client.
And sometimes the coach uses the time to start “unlayering” the different levels of the conversation together. For example, using models like the Hawkins–Shohet Seven-Eyed Model 2 or even Hawkins’ Ten-Eyed Model for Team Coaching Supervision.
What does Coaching Supervision Explore?
Coaching supervision can touch on many areas, including:
- Helping a coach see what’s possible and assess options
- Helping a coach with contracting
- Unlayering the complexities of team or group coaching
- Creating objectivity around our work
- And exploring blind spots and areas of coaching that it may be valuable to create boundaries around
FAQs on Coaching Supervision
Do you need training to be a coaching supervisor?
Coaching supervision is not coaching. And there are many decades of research and resources around supervision which shows up in many different settings. For example many of us may have had a supervisor as a grad student.
The ICF states that, “Coaching Supervision is sufficiently different from coaching, so training to provide the knowledge and opportunity to practice Coaching Supervision skills is needed. As such, all Coaching Supervisors should receive Coaching Supervision training.” And this also applies to coaching supervisors for the ICF’s Advanced Credential in Team Coaching (ACTC).
Even a seasoned mentor coach will learn and find value in training to be a coaching supervisor.
How do I know I can benefit from coaching supervision?
Coaches at all stages of their development, new and seasoned, will benefit from coaching supervision. There’s always value in exploring our professional practice.
The ICF identified key benefits for coaches who receive Coaching Supervision including 3:
- Increased self-awareness
- Greater confidence
- Increased objectivity
- Heightened sense of belonging
- Reduced feelings of isolation
- Increased resourcefulness
When is coaching supervision required?
The ICF “recognizes Coaching Supervision as an important element of a coach’s professional development, learning and growth.” But as yet, coaching supervision is not a requirement for credential renewal.
However, those working toward the ICF’s Advanced Credential in Team Coaching (ACTC) require 5 hours of coaching supervision. Helpfully, up to 10 hours of coaching supervision can also count towards your Core Competency hours.
Please note that the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) has separate guidelines for coaches in working with a supervisor on a regular basis.
Is coaching supervision just one-on-one?
Many coaching supervisors work individually with coaching supervisees.
And at Potentials Realized, we continue to see the power of the collective wisdom generated in small groups. For this reason, we offer Coaching Supervision Groups, which meet monthly, with intakes on a regular basis.
Wrap-up
I hope you found this article about coach supervision and the new supervision requirements if you’re interested in the ACTC Team Coaching Credential helpful. To learn more about coaching supervision with me, see the grey box below.
You may also like:
- Successful Mentoring Relationships: 5 Key Ingredients | by Jennifer Britton
- What are the Challenges of Being a Coach? 30 Negative Effects from Research | by Kerryn Griffiths
- 12 Step Checklist – What to Look For in a Great Coach Mentor | by Barry Switnicki
Want to learn more about Coaching Supervision with Jennifer?Curious about what coaching supervision is all about? Set up a call with me to discuss what 1-1 supervision looks like, or join one of our Coaching Supervision Groups Reference
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